Complaints against senior Maharashtra cops spike 313 per cent in two years

Misconduct complaints against senior police officers including those of assistant commissioner of police ACP rank and above as well as IPS officers have risen at an alarming rate recording a 313 per cent spike in just two years according to exclusive data from the State Police Complaints Authority SPCA A total of 240 complaints were registered in 2025 compared to 171 in 2024 and 58 in 2023 The cases involve serious allegations such as misuse of power wrongful detention harassment extortion negligence and procedural violationsA senior SPCA official confirmed that the complaints relate to officers from the ACP level upward including IPS officers Alongside rising complaints pending inquiries have also grown sharply from just two cases in 2020 to one hundred in 2025Recent incidentRecently the SPCA dismissed a complaint against an ACP due to insufficient evidence but found an assistant police inspector API from RA Kidwai Marg police station guilty of serious misconduct The authority directed the state government to initiate disciplinary action According to the SPCA order dated October 16 the complainant a retired customs superintendent alleged that the API delayed filing an FIR for more than five months in a Rs 40 lakh cheating case violating the Supreme Courtrsquos Lalita Kumari guidelines The API reportedly failed to complete the preliminary inquiry on time did not maintain mandatory diary entries and showed a lack of transparencySeveral cases involve serious accusations that require detailed scrutiny PICSAYYED SAMEER ABEDIThe SPCA found credible evidence including the testimony of an advocate that the API demanded twenty per cent of the settlement amount a water cooler and even help in arranging a cruise party for one hundred and fifty police personnel These allegations were deemed proved and categorised as corruption under Section 22Q1av of the Maharashtra Police Act However the ACP was given a clean chit as no misconduct was established The findings have been forwarded to the additional chief secretary home for disciplinary action against the APISatara caseIn another matter the SPCA recommended disciplinary action against four police personnel including the then superintendent of police of Satara district for failing to register an FIR against a Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau officer accused of assaulting a junior colleague in May 2024 Despite receiving a written complaint the FIR was not filed The SPCA held the officers responsible for dereliction of duty and directed the state government to treat the findings as a preliminary inquiryExperts viewPraveen Dixit former director general of police Maharashtra said ldquoPeople must start using ecomplaints for cyber and cheating offences Platforms like RBIrsquos Sachet and the ACB app exist but citizens are often unaware of them or simply do not use them Human intervention leaves room for delays or mistakes so electronic systems should be strengthened Many complaints arise because people do not understand the difference between cognisable and noncognisable offencesPolice cannot act in civil matters Housing society disputes and neighbourhood quarrels are often reported to the police because people assume the police are the only agency available This leads to misunderstandings when no action follows Awareness must be increased so that citizens file ecomplaints and use proper channels allowing the police to handle the cases that genuinely fall under their jurisdictionrdquoYP Singh a former IPS officer said ldquoAwareness among the people has increased Earlier people used to complain to Lokayukta and Human Rights Commission I think the flow of those complaints should be diverted to the SPCArdquoWhat is the SPCAFormed in 2014 in compliance with Supreme Court directives in the Prakash Singh vs Union of India 2006 judgment this independent body investigates serious misconduct allegations against police personnel It can examine cases involving abuse of power illegal detention corruption refusal to register FIRs and other violationsAfter completing inquiries the SPCA sends its findings to the state government for action The authority is headquartered in Mumbai and headed by Justice Retd Shrihari Davare with divisional offices across the stateHeres how you can file a complaint against cops1 Identify your grievancegtgt Misconductgtgt Abuse of powergtgt Negligencegtgt Unfair treatmentgtgt Any improper action by police personnel2 Provide your detailsgtgt Full namegtgt Permanent addressgtgt Contact numbergtgt Aadhaar number3 Describe the incidentgtgt What happenedgtgt Date time and locationgtgt Names ranks and posting details of the officers involvedgtgt Clear narration of facts4 Attach Evidencegtgt Documentsgtgt Photosgtgt Audio or video clipsgtgt CDs or pen drivesgtgt Any material allowed under the Indian Evidence Act5 Add a declarationSelfattested statement confirming all details are true6 Where to file the complaintSPCAs Mumbai HeadquartersComplaints can be made againstgtgt ACP rank and abovegtgt IPS officersDivisional authoritiesLocated ingtgt Navi Mumbaigtgt Nashikgtgt Punegtgt Nagpurgtgt Chhatrapati Sambhajinagargtgt AmravatiHandles complaints againstOfficers below ACP rank7 Submit Your ComplaintSubmit inperson at the respective SPCA office only No online complaints are entertained8 What happens nextgtgt Preliminary scrutiny by the authoritygtgt Further action is taken based on findings